Opinion:If You Think Protesting Racism Is Unpatriotic, But Disrespecting Military Widows Isn’t, You’re Probably NOT A Patriot

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

2 hours ago, Nature Boy Flair said:

Your logic is broke.  I was just explaining,  why affordable care is not affordable 

Not my logic, the free preventive services in the ACA save lives, money and productivity.

 

 

 

 

Example :   A coworker of mine did not do annual exams ( for whatever reason) and did not know that he was living with very high hypertension to the point that his kidneys and eyes were damaged.   To save his life we held fundraisers, supported his wife in a global search for a kidney match and worked harder when he was not on the job.   If he had leveraged his preventative care it is likely that $100 a year in BP meds would have saved his body.  Preventative care is the largest cost and life savings part of the ACA.

Edited October 24, 2017 by Il Mango Dulce

[yuna628 9,713]

14 hours ago, Il Mango Dulce said:

 

By that logic we could say " I would rather not know I have cancer or hiv, I cannot afford it"

 

12 hours ago, N-o-l-a said:

 

Our family qualified for the subsidy in Connecticut and the plan was great, it covered all of our infertility treatments with $0 deductible.

 

When we moved to Minnesota, we switched to a $0 deductible plan that we pay a subsidized amount into.  It is separate than the obamacare exchanges.  I'm kind of curious who the people are that are having trouble with this issue now and what they are making per year.  I feel like we have a pretty comfortable (for us) salary and one income earner.  We are a typical blue collar family.  So, who are these average people?  Are they choosing to live in housing above the minimum price for their area?  Are they making good financial decisions?  Even if we had a deductible, we'd be able to swing it.  Just having it subsidized is a blessing and one we are forever grateful for.

 

I think the answer is single payer healthcare, but a lot of red state voters don't know what is in their best interest.  

There are plenty of blue collar workers who make over the limit for a subsidy qualification (even single or double income earners) and still struggle every single day to decide to eat, pay the bills to live, or go to the doctor because they can't afford it. My sister has the same job for over 30 years. She makes more than my husband does and still struggles - she does not qualify. She has health insurance via her workplace but still cannot afford medication prices. When she needed surgery she certainly had to pay a very large amount that the insurance wasn't going to deal with. My husband makes too much money to qualify for the subsidy as well, and he has a very good job. Despite this we only had enough money to pay the bills that we have. We don't have enough to afford our own apartment currently, but we're saving, and if we had to pay the amount (which was due to rise to nearly $850+) for health insurance under a silver plan that we used to have we'd have nothing left. My other sister had her own struggles using the exchange. She has worked at various times up to three jobs, and is currently down to two difficult ones to support her husband that is recovering from injuries. She's in the sweet spot of still being relatively poor (she has had to at times needed to receive help from certain programs) but still not making under what's needed to qualify for a subsidy. If he had been working they might be more comfortable to pay outstanding bills, but still wouldn't qualify for a subsidy. She lost her insurance last year, and signed up with a provider via the exchange (still no subsidy) but it was a little cheaper. Within a month that provider pulled out of the exchange, giving her a week to do something. She called me to complain that the only provider left was giving her that same $850+ price with a high deductible. No kidding I know it all too well.

 

Could you swing a 5k, 8k, or 10k deductible when you get sick, on top of a $850 a month premium? Could you swing a $500 ER copay? How about $800 for an MRI? Every state is different you know? We live in a rural county, and my husband works all the way in another state. My sister works all the way down in the city... that's quite a commute. She recently had her hours cut, which sucks about $400 out of her paycheck. We pool our resources together in one house with our parents that we bought some twenty years ago. It's a decent house, and residing together became a necessity as my mom became sicker and sicker. As for the other sister she also resides in a dirt poor county and likely (imho) rents from a slumlord for cheap (you certainly couldn't find a decent place around these parts for that cheap). I'd say she's the one who doesn't make good financial decisions for herself, but those decisions wouldn't help her when it comes to paying a premium. I know very little people who can afford such monthly premiums with high deductibles comfortably and think they are getting a good deal. Do you?

 

I am glad the system worked for you, but there are a lot more that it's not helping. I sincerely wish it did. Single payer system? Medicare for all? Sure. It could work. As I said before Medicare took great care of my Mom, but my Dad still pours his SSA into their supplement premium and still needs help with bills and can't take medication that he needs because it's not covered and there's no way anyone is likely to be able to afford $1,000 on a drug. Suppose he could go get a job too, but I'm not sure who wants to hire a guy who is pushing 80... and after working since 16 years of age, I'd say he's a little worn out. Of course I'll be re-entering the job market too while juggling Mom ontop of that, but that won't help us beyond anything than provide additional savings for the apartment me and hubs have our eye on.

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

Thanks for sharing that story Yuna.  I'm sorry it's so tight for you and your family.  But it's good to hear stories like yours to add a dose of reality.  I hate it when people come on here and say how great the ACA is.  It isn't, for a LOT of people.  

 

I know several people who are struggling with their premiums and regular bills.  Not all live in the same house as you do, but one does what one must to survive.  

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

I was struggling with BCBS IL raising their premiums as self employed and single so no spouse's employer plan I could get on, this was before Obamacare
that premiums started to rise.
Later I got on Obamacare for a $99.80 monthly premium for the silver plan. I had health issues that required hospitalization several times short of major surgery.
It was awesome for me. I understand that it was not that good for others but a good flip side does exist, lets not forget that either.
Point is sabotaging it due to politics will not help without a decent policy in place to replace it. 
Building on the good things about it or single payer is the way to go. Removing coverage for pre existing conditions is not health care but death watch.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

24 minutes ago, Ebunoluwa said:

I was struggling with BCBS IL raising their premiums as self employed and single so no spouse's employer plan I could get on, this was before Obamacare
that premiums started to rise.
Later I got on Obamacare for a $99.80 monthly premium for the silver plan. I had health issues that required hospitalization several times short of major surgery.
It was awesome for me. I understand that it was not that good for others but a good flip side does exist, lets not forget that either.
Point is sabotaging it due to politics will not help without a decent policy in place to replace it. 
Building on the good things about it or single payer is the way to go. Removing coverage for pre existing conditions is not health care but death watch.

I think very few would disagree. 

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

11 hours ago, yuna628 said:

 

There are plenty of blue collar workers who make over the limit for a subsidy qualification (even single or double income earners) and still struggle every single day to decide to eat, pay the bills to live, or go to the doctor because they can't afford it. My sister has the same job for over 30 years. She makes more than my husband does and still struggles - she does not qualify. She has health insurance via her workplace but still cannot afford medication prices. When she needed surgery she certainly had to pay a very large amount that the insurance wasn't going to deal with. My husband makes too much money to qualify for the subsidy as well, and he has a very good job. Despite this we only had enough money to pay the bills that we have. We don't have enough to afford our own apartment currently, but we're saving, and if we had to pay the amount (which was due to rise to nearly $850+) for health insurance under a silver plan that we used to have we'd have nothing left. My other sister had her own struggles using the exchange. She has worked at various times up to three jobs, and is currently down to two difficult ones to support her husband that is recovering from injuries. She's in the sweet spot of still being relatively poor (she has had to at times needed to receive help from certain programs) but still not making under what's needed to qualify for a subsidy. If he had been working they might be more comfortable to pay outstanding bills, but still wouldn't qualify for a subsidy. She lost her insurance last year, and signed up with a provider via the exchange (still no subsidy) but it was a little cheaper. Within a month that provider pulled out of the exchange, giving her a week to do something. She called me to complain that the only provider left was giving her that same $850+ price with a high deductible. No kidding I know it all too well.

 

Could you swing a 5k, 8k, or 10k deductible when you get sick, on top of a $850 a month premium? Could you swing a $500 ER copay? How about $800 for an MRI? Every state is different you know? We live in a rural county, and my husband works all the way in another state. My sister works all the way down in the city... that's quite a commute. She recently had her hours cut, which sucks about $400 out of her paycheck. We pool our resources together in one house with our parents that we bought some twenty years ago. It's a decent house, and residing together became a necessity as my mom became sicker and sicker. As for the other sister she also resides in a dirt poor county and likely (imho) rents from a slumlord for cheap (you certainly couldn't find a decent place around these parts for that cheap). I'd say she's the one who doesn't make good financial decisions for herself, but those decisions wouldn't help her when it comes to paying a premium. I know very little people who can afford such monthly premiums with high deductibles comfortably and think they are getting a good deal. Do you?

 

I am glad the system worked for you, but there are a lot more that it's not helping. I sincerely wish it did. Single payer system? Medicare for all? Sure. It could work. As I said before Medicare took great care of my Mom, but my Dad still pours his SSA into their supplement premium and still needs help with bills and can't take medication that he needs because it's not covered and there's no way anyone is likely to be able to afford $1,000 on a drug. Suppose he could go get a job too, but I'm not sure who wants to hire a guy who is pushing 80... and after working since 16 years of age, I'd say he's a little worn out. Of course I'll be re-entering the job market too while juggling Mom ontop of that, but that won't help us beyond anything than provide additional savings for the apartment me and hubs have our eye on.

16

I am sorry for your struggle and I certainly hope it gets better for you and your family.   I pray you get that apartment. 

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

4 hours ago, Ebunoluwa said:

I was struggling with BCBS IL raising their premiums as self employed and single so no spouse's employer plan I could get on, this was before Obamacare
that premiums started to rise.
Later I got on Obamacare for a $99.80 monthly premium for the silver plan. I had health issues that required hospitalization several times short of major surgery.
It was awesome for me. I understand that it was not that good for others but a good flip side does exist, lets not forget that either.
Point is sabotaging it due to politics will not help without a decent policy in place to replace it. 
Building on the good things about it or single payer is the way to go. Removing coverage for pre existing conditions is not health care but death watch.

I feel we are less than 10 years from Medicare expansion to all uninsured.  Ironically we may have Trumps actions to thank for it.

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

16 minutes ago, Il Mango Dulce said:

I feel we are less than 10 years from Medicare expansion to all uninsured.  Ironically we may have Trumps actions to thank for it.

That's pretty much how it is here in California right now. People are complaining because they can't find a doctor that will accept Medicaid.